For many mobile professionals and other enthusiasts being without a wireless Internet connections is unfathomable. But for those outside of large cities the thought of a high-speed wireless network is merely a dream because the service simply isn’t available.

Today Google made the official announcement that it would file its formal application to participate in the 700MHz auction. Google states its application would be filed on December 3, 2007 with the FCC, which is the first step in the auction process. Google also pointed out that its application did not include any partners.

"We believe it's important to put our money where our principles are," said Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google. "Consumers deserve more competition and innovation than they have in today's wireless world. No matter which bidder ultimately prevails, the real winners of this auction are American consumers who likely will see more choices than ever before in how they access the Internet."

In his Google blog Chris Sacca, Head of Special Initiatives at Google, wrote, “Here at Google, we see the upcoming 700 megahertz spectrum auction at the Federal Communications Commission as one of the best opportunities consumers will have to enjoy more choices in the world of wireless devices.”

There is more to the 700 MHz frequency than simply the chance to offer mobile communications devices. The frequency is able to transmit over long distances with low power requirements meaning that the spectrum could bring broadband Intent connectivity to rural areas that are often only serviced by dial up web connectivity.

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Verizon is already ditching the copper. But copper is not holding Verizon back from anything other than removing consumer choice, especially if high-speed copper data makes some inroads.

Fake ATT (FATT) is doing nothing except do what they do best -- give consumers crap service, spend nothing, and milk it as long as they can. FATT has made no investments in any sort of fiber, preferring to offer low speed DSL until the copper atoms in the wires decay into nothingness. FATT is more than happy to keep their own profits high while the national economy suffers from the lack of modern broadband.

Google's core competency is building services that can be datamined. It is not building telecom companies. That is why Google wants to have their fake open source platform running on a lot of cellular phones from many vendors -- lots more to datamine.

Although, given the chance, Google would like to be able to datamine every single packet on the Internet. This is why building "free" Wi-Fi for the SF Bay area was so hot in Google's pants and why Google has a hard on to get into the data services business.

Google's one mission is to dominate the world's information content and control/monitor access to this information. This is the franchise that Google has been tasked to build.

Any move by Google must be analyzed in this context, not the "we are such good people" deception that Google uses to crush opposition to their plans.

Verizon owns 45% stake of VWZ. Yes, they are not directly a whole. Moving to 4G GSM would help connect Vodaphone customers. But if Vodaphone wants the rest of the 45% stake(there could be a good chance), then it would provide substantial money.

Yes, Copper will remove consumer choice, leaving another other POTs company out of the picture. Fiber is something VZ has leverage against Cable compared to DSL. They can provide additionally TV. VZ has more to offer now. The money comes in the play can help the roll out here and future technologies.

ATT can milk even more customers in Canada. As they are one of the countries with capped connections.

I can agree that Google wants to data mine everything. But the advertising model won't put out substantially forever.

I'm saying that if Google becomes a Tier provider would be saving costs. The servers and home users are the customers of a 'teleco' which wouldn't be Comcast/Verizon but Tier2 and Tier1 providers. In which will serve to Tier3 telecommunications. "Telekom Google" was just my title.

Google can continue to pursue their "we are good people" by indirectly being an internet provider connecting all their servers to everybody else. If general public doesn't see Google as a VZ or AT&T monopoly then Google is still in the green.

Verizon owns 55% of Cellco (Verizon Wireless) which is the partnership of Verizon Communications and Vodafone. Thus Vodafone owns 45% of Cellco. The more likely event would be for Verizon Communications to buyout Vodafone rather than the other way around. Since without Verizon Wireless, Verizon Communications is basically useless (VZW makes up the bulk of Verizon Communications growth).

quote: Fake ATT (FATT) is doing nothing except do what they do best -- give consumers crap service, spend nothing, and milk it as long as they can. FATT has made no investments in any sort of fiber

Not surprising to hear you talking out of your @ss again. As a funny coincidence, I'm in the process of getting AT&T DSL installed at my home. I was just today talking to the install tech who told me that AT&T is currently installing fiber in the small city where I live. They're going to use it for IPTV services today (google: AT&T U-verse) and future high-speed internet (50Gbps). And I live in a pretty small town. The tech told me they already have 100K customers using the service here in Michigan.

BTW, I generally dislike AT&T as a company, but I am from them getting 2X the speed of DSL at 1/2 the price of any other company, including my old DSL provider of many years.

I didn't say FATT has no fiber anywhere. If you look closer, you will see that U-Verse is architected using copper to the home, not fiber. Sure there will be fiber feeders that enable IPTV. But FATT is essentially maintaining current DSL speeds as its standard vs. the better speeds you can get from Verizon.

You may be happy with your FATT deal, but remember FATT can make those deals because the equipment has long been paid for by people who paid a lot more for it. Instead of upgrading your copper to any of the much higher speed DSL technologies, FATT is content to give you a lower price and just milk the profits. All the while the nationwide economy suffers from lack of bandwidth.

Finally, if you want a true picture of just desperate FATT customers are for better bandwidth, head over to dslreports.com and check out the forums. Verizon FIOS absolutely kills FATT and people are screaming for the return of competition vs. the massive lock-in that FATT has managed to achieve by paying off Washington.

If AT&T can put 50Gbps of bandwidth into my house using copper, why should I care if the fiber ends at my house or at the end of the street?

Also, for Verizon, they have only a tiny portion of the US covered with FIOS. IIRC they plan to have it available to 1,000,000 households by 2010. That's pathetic. At that rate, it could be another 10 years before it's available here at my home. AT&T is taking a more practical view of bringing fiber to neighborhoods and using existing copper for the last few hundred feet. This will allow them to get high bandwidth to more customers much faster than FIOS.

Don't get me wrong, I'd sure prefer to fiber to my home, especially for the longer-term, but if I have to wait 10 years to get it, then I'd rather someone provide an intermediate step in the meantime, even if that step is not the best longer-term solution (fiber).

quote: All the while the nationwide economy suffers from lack of bandwidth.

I challenge you to explain and support that view. You are developing a real habit of pulling so-called "facts" like that out of your @ss.

No one can put 50 Gbps of bandwidth through your house with copper. Not even 10 Gbit ethernet over copper is out yet.The maximum speed of Uverse is around 27 Mbps with their current equipment. The thing is, there is a limit to how fast copper can go. Fiber can go much farther distances with much greater bandwidth. Therefore, almost every telecom in the world will be poised to upgrade to all fiber at some point in the future.Then again, AT&t is upgrading some areas with full fiber, but their crappy business philosophy as usual maintains that they should keep speeds low, because "people don't need it".By the way, how would Verizon get Fios to your house when you say AT&T is your provider?